The tones of a festival
JAYARAMAN V
|
The concerts organised in connection with the Chakkamkulangara Temple festival provided an aural feast.
|
MUSIC AT HER FINGERTIPS: E. Gayathri performing at a concert held in connection with the festival at Chakkamkulangara Temple at Thripunithura.
In the late Sixties, a mere slip of a girl came on to the platform with the veena and started playing at Sree Parthasarathy Swami Sabha in Triplicane, Chennai.
At the very persuasive touch of her meettu, raga, kriti and sargam were not isolationist entities but merged with the strains of nadopasana. In the front row was the eminent musicologist P. Sambamoorthy, who wrote later that if the rebirth of Veena Dhanammal was possible it is evidently in this girl E. Gayathri who deserved an epithet Veena Gayathri.
House full
E. Gayathri performed at the recently concluded festival at Chakkamkulangara Temple at Thripunithura. She started with `Navaraga Varnam' by Pattanam Subrahmania Iyer, followed by `Sree Ganapathini' in Saurashtram from Prahlada Bhakthi Vijayam, an opera by Tyagaraja. `Sumasayaka' in Karantaka Kaappi, a Padavarnam by Swati Thirunal, preceded Panthuvarali (`Siva Siva Siva'), Sree Raga (`Endaro') and Hindolam with `Saama Gaana Lolane' by Papanasam Sivan, respectively. Each had a congruous set of manodharama swaras. Then she played Yadukula Kambhoji, with `Divakarathanujam,' a Navagraha kriti by Dikshithar, followed by a depiction of Arabhi (Paalimparaa by Pallavi Seshaier), as an appetiser to a tantalising Kambhoji, in which the Thaanam was woven around Todi, Poorvikalyani, Kanada and Madhyamavathi. The mridangam accompaniment by Trichur Narendran was a lesson for budding percussionists. Thripunithura Radhakrishnan on the ghatam did not lag behind.
Sweet voice
Manasi Prasad from Bangalore, who is also an accomplished Bharatanatyam artiste, was praised by the audience for her sweet voice. Her recital was also in connection with the festival. Her rendition of `Kaayaarohaneswaram' by Dikshithar in Devagandharam or Abheri, set to Roopakam, got a thunderous ovation. Poorvikalyani had a captivating lay-out. `Gangadhara' by Mysore Sadasiva Rao in Roopakam had neraval and kalpanaswara. Dayakar (Bangalore), on the violin, Bangalore B.S. Anand (mridangam), and Adichanallur Anil Kumar on the ghatam, acquitted themselves well.
Young Harihara Subrahmaia Iyer has a geniality and an aptitude to reach out to the listeners, reminiscent of the late Madurai Somu. Iyer began with the varnam in Dhanyasi and elaborated Khamas. `Broche vaare' had a few vibrant passages, followed by `Sabhapathikku' in Abhogi by Gopalakrishna Bharati.
His pallavi in Hamsanandi was meant for the initiated segment of the audience. Attukal Balasubramaniam was fluent on the violin. Thrissur Jayaram (mridangam), Anil Kumar (ghatam) and T. Rajasekharan (mukharsanghu) performed with mutual understanding.
K.N. Ranganatha Sarma always presents Carnatic music as a polished product. His Mohanam, with Kaadambaree (Thriputa) by Dikshithar and Mukhari, affixed to `Muripe' (Tyagaraja) were charming.
Violin by T.H. Subrahmaniam was appropriate. Palldam R. Ravi, a descendant from the household of the legendary flutist Sanjivi Rao, mesmerised the listeners with his pleasing mridangam. Radhakrishnan (ghatam) and T. Rajasekharan (mukharsanghu) did their job well.
Musical lineage
Girija Varma impressed with her portrayal of Sankarabharanam and the presentation of `Akshya LingaVibho' was steeped in samparadaya. Then Saveri came with `Murugaa-Murugaa' by Periya Swamy Thuran. V.K. Hariadas (violin), Tripunithura Neelakantan (mridangam) and Mangad Pramod (ghatam) accompanied.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
